The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-01
FACTIONS IN PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
Dissensions Over the Succession-Rival Bio
graphical Projects and the Memorial Fund.
ial to the Indianapolis Journal

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
New YORK, April 30.-There is more excite
ment in Plymouth Church just now than at any
previous time since the scandal DAYS. Some of
the commotion arises from the question of sue
to Henry Ward Beecher. Seyeral distinct
factions have developed themselves. Each has
its own views to the sort of to be select
ed. Beecher did not have the entire church
with him in his departures from orthodox doc
tt;nes, there havin been considerable element
which admired and loved him without accepting
his heterodoxies. These people now desire to
make Plymouth take the back track, or at least
defect from the movement towards liberalism
which the late pastor had advanced upon so rap
idly and far during the last ten years of his life.
This party embodies a large portion of the
wealth and social influence of the congregation,
and the choice of it is the Rev. Joseph Parker,
the eminent London preacher and Intimate per-
sonal friend of Beecher. He invited to
come to Brooklyn to deliver eulogy of Beech
June 24, then to make a lecture tour OF the
country early in the autumn, and TO be formally
called to the Plymouth pulpit He responded
favorably, and ali was considered good as set
tled when the oppos ition became strong that
he advised to hold off while. CONSEQUENT
ly he is not to be the June orator, and his visit
is deferred.
Tomorrow will be communion Sunday at Ply
mouth and it has been customary to make of
the first Sabbath in May an occasion of extra
entrance into the church of converts and others.
These have sometimes numbered as many as 300,
and until lately they served to keep the aggre-
gate membership ahead of that of any other
American church, but the Rev. DIR. Talmages
congregation got to the front four years ago,
and remains there with about 200 to spare. To-
morrows members for Plymouth will be
over 1O0 and the preparations for beautiful
service elaborate to music, flowers and a
sermon by the Rev. Dr. Lyman Abbott, who is
looked upon a compromise candidate for the
pulpit-a man who is very liberal in mis- religion,
and yet somewhat conservative in his radcalism.
A second disturbance in Plymouth Church is
made by the rival biographical projects. Beecher
had hardly been buried before these enterprises
were shaped The enterprising Mark Twain
was early as anybody in the field. His great
success with the Grant book and other suhscrip
tion volumes recommended him to the family,
and he has now com pleted contract with Mrs.
Beecher, her William c. Beecher and her
son-in.law, the Rev Samuel Scovilie, to get up
rapidly as possible memorial work. Under
this bargain the profits to be divided
between Mark Twain and the widow. Messrs.
Beecher and ScoviIle will contribute their serv-
ices. all the material left by the great preacher
will be turned over and the publisher will pro-
vide several writers to hasten the job. The
written by Joseph Howard, and effort is being
made to get it into the market quickly.
Howard is the Oldest son of the
venerable Deacon John Howard, who
originally brought Beecher to Brooklyn from
the West, organized the church for him. gave
good share of the money and remained his
bosom friend until his death The Beecber and
Howard families have grown mp together on
Brooklyn Heights, almost like one household,
and so Joseph Howards opportunities to become
a biographer have been excellent. His is an in
dlvidual private enterprise. A talented daueh-
ter of Deacon OviDgton has third book in hand,
and still another is to be made out of the June
MI yxpifh 9TH ole
The market in the fall is likely to DO glutted
with Beecher biographies. But the book prom
Using additional turmoil is projected History
Of the Plymouth Scandal" revivlng the Triton
charges and the famous trial in anarrative form,
and published by one of the cheap libraries.
a third feature of high feeling in Plymouth
comes of the fund to erect a memorial IN Brook
jyn to 3eecher The police with Others have
been supplied with small books in which to re-
cord solicited subscriptions. This employment
of a municipal agency excites the enemies of the
dead pastor to active protest At the formal
opening of the Brooklyn bridge, with elaborate
ceremonies, not only was Beecher not the chosen
orator of the occason, but he was not so much
as invited TO seat the platform, while his
ancient enemy, the Rev. DIR. Richard S. Storrs,
pastor of the nearest Congregational Church,
made tho address. DR. Storrs Lad been against
him through the scandal times, and so this was
a studied affront, which tho Beecher partisaus
sought to balance by great demonstration on
his ensuing birthday. Those events showed
how deeply and intricately the Beecher scandal
peTmeated Brooklyn; and now the canvass of
the city for subscriptions to the memorial fund
has revived all the old bitterness The rich men
of Plymouth are looked to to see that the fund
Is not thereby dwarfed.